Never Let You Go
by StatsGrandma57
Summary: This is the first real hurt/comfort story I've written, and it wouldn't have gotten done without help from 2Old4This2, who not only did her usual excellent beta but also came up with the title. Han returns from a delivery with Chewie, and things go very, very badly for him. Chapter 3 finishes it off. :)
1. Chapter 1

NEVER LET YOU GO

Chapter 1

It was two weeks after the Rebel Alliance had declared victory over the Galactic Empire. The after party was over (rumor had it that the galaxy had run out of intoxicants), and now the business of creating a new government and a new life were at hand.

For Han and Leia, the days were a blur. Not only was Leia a prominent member of the Provisional Government with all of its attending responsibilities; that would have been enough. On top of it, she and Han had a wedding to plan. They'd located a flat near the former Imperial Palace on Coruscant, where the fledgling councils would be housed. It was small but adequate for a young couple starting out.

Han was charged with running supplies to worlds that were in desperate need of them, and there were plenty of them that had suffered under the Empire. And it was still dangerous: the Empire still had sympathizers, and they were unhappy. The _Falcon_ was now famous and Han wished she wasn't. He was still General Han Solo, but he had thoughts of retiring after he and Leia became husband and wife. What he wanted was his own business. The Provisional Government and the permanent one that would be formed after elections were held was likely to continue to be a good customer, but Han simply wasn't cut out to work for someone else, no matter how high his or her rank. Corellians had an inborn mistrust of authority, and the Alliance victory had not changed that.

He'd just completed a run to his homeworld, and was headed back to Coruscant. Han wished that they'd chosen Corellia for the site of the new regime. The climate was better and it had natural beauty. But that was not to be. He would go where Leia needed to be, and do it willingly. And, he reminded himself, it wasn't Tatooine.

Han was eager to be home. Fortunately, there were no official functions that evening. He hoped Leia would be home at a reasonable hour. He couldn't wait to see her again, to hold her in his arms, to be intimate with her...

But he was exhausted.

Chewie, very much in tune with Han, warbled a soft note of concern. {You don't look too good, cub}.

"I'm just tired," Han replied irritably. "Too much to do, not enough time to do it." It was early afternoon; once he and Chewie had tied the ship down, he was going back home and taking a long nap.

{We're all tired. But you look like you're getting sick}, Chewie told him, his voice carrying hints of worry.

"I'm not getting sick. I just need a nap. That's all." Sometimes, having Chewie was worse than having a mother around.

Yes, his head ached, his throat hurt, and he felt somewhat chilled, but he hadn't slept much since the victory celebration. What he needed was sleep, and he'd get that shortly.

Now in Coruscant's orbit, Han comm'd ground traffic.

"_Millennium Falcon_, requesting permission to land."

"Permission granted. Docking bay 422," the voice responded, giving the coordinates to do so. "Welcome home, General Solo."

Han gently guided the ship to line up with the landing pad. He could do it in his sleep, and sometimes he had.

Once they'd put the landing claws out, Han leaned back, closing his eyes. The headache, he had to admit, was getting worse.

{I'll tie her down}, Chewie offered.

"You sure?"

{I wouldn't say so if it wasn't}, Chewie retorted, but then his tone softened.

"Thanks, pal. I owe you one."

{You owe me a lot more than that}, Chewie teased.

"I know."

{I shall comm Leia}.

"No, you're not going to comm Leia. She's busy and she'll be home later."

{She would want to know that you're not well}.

"I need some sleep. I'll be fine by the time she gets home."

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Leia slumped in her office chair. She had to write one report and then she'd be home. She and Han had been absent from each other for nine days and her longing was nearly indescribable. He'd comm'd her with the message, 'home.' It was all she needed to know, and despite her weariness, she couldn't keep from smiling. She had a clear calendar and would soon be heading home.

She took out her datapad and began making entries when Mon Mothma stepped into her office.

"Leia, the governor from Ruan just got in," Mon Mothma told her. Some of the governors had run into problems getting there on time but most had made it by lunchtime. "I'd like you to go to dinner with some of us to discuss today's discussions."

Leia's heart sank. "Han just got back, and we have a lot to do. I'll be happy to bring him up to speed tomorrow."

"He needs to be informed before talks resume tomorrow," Mon insisted.

"I'll meet him now," Leia told her.

"It would be better were it a group discussion," Mon persisted.

Leia groaned.

Mon studied her. "Leia, you know very well that setting up new governments requires commitment."

"I am committed," Leia said, trying to keep from snapping at the woman who was now her boss. "But Han and I are getting married soon, and we're still trying to set up our apartment."

"Leia, in case you've forgotten, I agreed to make the arrangements for the vast majority of the guests," Mon replied tersely. Mon Mothma was not at all happy about Leia marrying Han, and Leia and Han had told her that if she thought this was a way to unify the galaxy, she could invite and pay for the nine hundred-plus political and military leaders to attend. Han and Leia had wanted something more private, with only those they were close to in attendance.

Leia was trying to maintain diplomacy. "I'll agree to a dinner, but I can only do so if we can go early, say, in half an hour."

Mon sighed tragically. "Very well. I will attempt to get everyone who can help most to be there." She left the office, clearly irritated.

Leia comm'd Han. "Have to go to dinner but it's early. Will see you soon. I love you." He was probably asleep; that was his usual MO when he arrived home. He didn't sleep much on runs.

_I'm going to eat and run_, she told herself, smiling at the thought of Han being there, his arms wrapped around her, their kisses sweet and passionate, their clothes falling away...

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By the time Han made it home, he felt as if he was going pass out. Dizziness had overcome him on the tram and he had to hang on for dear life. He'd never had balance problems. The only time he'd ever had this sort of symptom was when he had a case of the Corellian tanamen flu, many years ago. He remembered when Dewlanna had cared for him...

He staggered into the apartment, feeling horrible. His neck was stiff, and he couldn't tolerate the light coming in through the windows. He had the shaking chills, and could barely croak out a word. The dizziness was overpowering.

He stumbled to the bed, and promptly passed out.

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Leia was irritated over having to attend the dinner; she was resentful at not being able to get home to her beloved fiancé right away, and she'd had her fill of political conversations for the day. The governor from Ruan was pleasant enough and seemed to be on board and Leia felt that a short conversation before tomorrow's discussions would have been sufficient.

Leia felt her comm go off, and asked to be excused.

It was Chewie, not Han.

"Chewie, what's up?" Chewie and Leia had become good friends but it was not like the Wookiee to call her.

{I went to check on Han and he didn't wake up. So he is on his way to the west medcenter}. Leia could feel the pain in Chewie's warbles.

"I'll be right there," Leia told him, snapping off the comm. "Excuse me, but I have to leave immediately.

"Leia –" Mon Mothma called after her, but Leia raced from the restaurant and signaled a hovercab. She swallowed hard to keep from crying.

If only she'd refused to go to dinner...

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Leia raced into the medcenter. "I'm here about Han Solo," she said, struggling to maintain her composure.

"Are you family?" the clerk droid asked quietly.

"I'm his fiancee. He doesn't have any other family." Leia felt tears stinging her eyes. She felt the way she had when Han had been taken by Boba Fett.

"Let me find out his status," the droid said. He had a low, soothing voice programmed into him, and Leia appreciated the kindly manner. The droid comm'd the med droid in charge of Han and asked if Leia could see him.

"Follow me," the med droid beckoned Leia.

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Leia was told to wait in a quiet room and that the med droid would be out shortly to talk to her.

_I've got a really bad feeling about this_, she told herself.

Leia nearly hit the ceiling when she felt something touching her shoulder.

"Oh, Chewie, it's you," she said, her voice shaking.

{I didn't want to scare you. But I wanted you to know that you're not alone}.

"Have they told you anything?" Leia held Chewie's paw in between her two hands, which were freezing cold.

{I had a hard time proving we were related. So no}.

That actually made Leia laugh a little. "That's funny. I think you two look a lot alike." That made the giant Wookiee laugh. "Especially when he hasn't shaved for a week."

A med droid appeared. "Minister Organa? I understand you are the fiancee of Captain Solo. I'm Four-O-Five, the medic in charge of Captain Solo's treatment. Could we talk privately?"

"Chewbacca is with me, and you need to include him. He's family," Leia told Four-O-Five.

"Uh, yes, very well, Minister. He arrived unconscious, and of course that's far too vague for a diagnosis. He appears to have some swelling of the cerebral cortex. We've given him some anti-inflammatories for that, and we're analyzing his cerebrospinal fluid. When did you last see your husband?"

"Nine days ago," Leia said, feeling as if the planet was falling out from under her. "I was supposed to be home early, but at the last minute I had to attend dinner for one of the governors who'd been late."

"How was he at that time?" Four-O-Five inquired.

"Perfectly healthy," Leia said, her voice barely more than a whisper. She was doing everything in her power to fight back the tears she could feel forming in her eyes. "Chewie was with him the entire nine days."

The med droid turned to Chewie. "Did you notice anything out of the ordinary?"

The droid did not understand Shyriiwook, and Leia translated as best as she could.

{I noticed the last few hours of the flight that he looked tired and not well. I tied down the ship and went back to my flat, which is in the same building. I was concerned about him, and did not know when the minister would arrive home, so I checked on him and he didn't respond}.

"Did he indicate a specific complaint?" the droid continued.

{He said he just needed some sleep. He wouldn't tell me anything else}.

"You have to understand," Leia told the Four-O-Five. "Han is the type that, were he hemorrhaging and in danger of losing a limb, would insist it's just a scratch." She paused. "Do you have any idea what's wrong?"

"Obviously, many diseases have the same symptoms as what General Solo is experiencing," the droid continued. "Do you know if he ever had the Corellain tanamen flu?"

Leia remembered Han telling her how the Wookiee Dewlanna had cared for him when he was sick. "He did, but I believe he was quite young. He's rarely sick. The last time he was was while we were still on Hoth, and that's been years now."

"The reason I asked," Four-O-Five said, "is that we are seeing a bizarre strain of the Corellian tanamen flu in those who've previously contracted it."

"But I think he was only, maybe twelve or thirteen when he had it," Leia told him.

"Normally, a human can only have one case of it. But sometimes the virus lives on and mutates, sometimes for decades, only to have it return in a much more virulent and dangerous form. It attacks the brain and spinal cord."

Leia was taking deep breaths, trying to keep from breaking into tears.

"He had a seizure en route to the med center, which is typical, since his temperature was 40.55. We have been able to lower it to 39, which is still quite high, but a vast improvement. He remains unconscious, and we're treating it as if we have a live case of it. Has he visited Corellia recently?"

{Four standard days ago}, Chewie responded, with Leia translating.

"I'm expecting the lab results to demonstrate that. Perhaps the oddest thing about the disease is that it is only affecting those native to Corellia. We believe it's a form of bioterrorism."

"That wouldn't surprise me," Leia said shakily. "There are some strong Imperial supporters who are very unhappy with the Alliance victory. They've made threats."

"Once we know that this is in fact the case, we will put him in the bacta tank for forty-eight standard hours." The droid paused. "This is the first case I've seen, but there have been about fifteen hundred cases in all. And it does have the potential to be fatal."

"What type of mortality rates are you talking about?" Leia asked.

"Unfortunately, nearly nine hundred have not survived. That is largely due to a shortage of bacta. Fortunately, since so many have migrated here to establish the New Republic, we have one of the best and strongest bacta supplies in the galaxy. You've indicated that your fiancé is usually very healthy, which is another thing in his favor. Many of the dead were elderly."

A nurse droid came out. "We have the lab results," she announced to Four-O-Five. The droid maneuvered to her and took the datapad from her, reading it.

"Yes, as I suspected."

"And I think he's regaining consciousness. He's asking for Leia."

"May I go back and see him?" Leia asked, clutching at Chewie.

"We do need to get him into the bacta tank as quickly as possible, but yes, you may see him for a moment," Four-O-Five said to her. "Follow me, please."

{I'll be out here if you need me}, Chewie told the princess gently.

"Thanks, Chewie." She hugged the big Wookiee.

And she thought she'd been terrified when Han had been encased in carbonite.


	2. Chapter 2

1

Chapter 2

The nursing droid led Leia back to the plastiglassine cubicle where Han was. Leia felt her breath clutch in her throat as they walked, but nothing had prepared her for the sight of Han in the bed. She gasped in horror.

Han's golden skin tone was now pallid,with an ashen cast. His face was swollen, his lips parched. He was thrashing about and Leia could barely hear him speaking her name, over and over again. Tubing ran into his arm, several containers of medication flowing into them. Her medical training consisted of first aid, but she knew enough to know that his readouts were terrible. She felt as if she might faint, but she clasped one of his hands in her two shaking ones. His high fever was evident even from that touch.

"Leia," he rasped, utterly disoriented.

"I'm here," Leia said softly, doing her best to stand strong. She bent over to kiss his forehead.

Han opened his eyes slightly. "Leia?" he repeated. Is he more aware this time, you might want to say so. He seemed a little more alert when he said it again.

"Yes, it's me," she said softly. "I'm with you and I'm not going anywhere."

She felt his shivering despite the heat of his skin. "You are going to get through this. You have to. I've already bought my wedding dress."

Two orderly droids appeared. "General Solo, it's time for the bacta treatment," one said to him.

"I want to stay with him," Leia said to them.

"There isn't much room in the bacta chambers," one protested. "He will be in there for forty-eight hours."

"You should go home and get some rest," the other told her.

Leia drew herself up and momentarily appeared to be twice her height. "I am not leaving him."

"It's not very comfortable," the one warned as they disconnected the tubing and sensors.

"I. Don't. Care." Leia's eyes blazed.

If droids could shudder, these two would have .

"Come along," the one said. Leia held Han's hand as they walked to the treatment area.

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It was difficult to see Han in the bacta tank, the thick red fluid obliterating the outlines of his body. Leia had found a chair that was anything but comfortable, but she could not have cared less.

Four-O-Five joined her shortly thereafter. "We should talk, Minister."

"We can talk here," Leia informed him tersely.

"Aren't you uncomfortable?" Four-O-Five asked solicitously.

"You needn't worry about my comfort or lack thereof. I am not leaving till my fiancé is out of the bacta tank." Her tone let the droid know that she brooked no further discussion.

Four-O-Five waited a moment, then began to speak.

"This illness could possibly leave the general unable to speak, or hear, or walk," the droid told her in the kindest tone he could muster. "He might have personality changes, or lose his vision. Now I'm not saying –"

"None of those are going to happen," Leia said firmly. "He will recover."

"We are all hoping that General Solo will make a complete recovery. However, I'm obligated to inform you of the possible complications."

"Thank you, but he is incredibly strong and he will recover. Completely." Leia was not budging.

Four-O-Five exited, thinking that Solo would recover if for no other reason than the strength of his fiancee's will.

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Chewie was permitted to briefly join Leia. The big Wookiee was as worried about her as he was about his best friend.

Han had been in the bacta nearly twelve hours. His vitals remained poor; there had been some improvement but it was slight.

{I can stay while you rest}, Chewie offered.

Leia looked up at him, and Chewie saw how weary she was. Her eye makeup, what little she wore of it, was smudged, her lip tint was gone, her dark circles were growing, and she looked as if she might cry.

"No. I'm not leaving him," Leia said, crossing her arms in determination. "He will be well."

Chewie didn't know what to say. He laid his giant paw on her shoulder.

{I'm here for you. You don't even need to ask}, Chewie assured her.

"I know, and I appreciate that," Leia told him.

{You should get some rest}.

"No. I'm not going to leave him until he's well and headed home," she said stubbornly.

Chewie thought to himself_, they're perfect for each other, because they're the two most stubborn people in the galaxy._

He just hoped his best friend's body was as strong as his and his fiancee's wills.

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Eighteen hours had passed.

Leia had dozed briefly in the miserable chair, but was constantly checking on Han. His progress was there, but it was still minimal. Four-O-Five had been by a few times, urging her to go home and rest.

"It's not home unless Han is with me. Which he will be," she retorted. Stress and lack of sleep had diminished her diplomatic skills to nearly nonexistent.

She checked her comm. There were dozens of messages from Mon Mothma, most of them from when Leia had abruptly run out on dinner. Clearly she'd learned about Han, and was gracious enough to wish him a complete and rapid recovery. Messages from other dignitaries flowed in as well, and whether they approved of Han or not wasn't relevant. They wished both Han and Leia nothing but the very best and many said they would see them at the wedding. She felt tears forming in her eyes.

Chewie had brought her food, which she'd left untouched. He'd taken great effort to find some of her favorites, but her appetite was nonexistent.

Twenty-four hours.

"Minister Organa," Four-O-Five said softly.

"I know, he's recovering more slowly than you'd like," Leia said irritably. "You've told me what could happen, and it isn't going to."

"I don't think we need to rule out a complete recovery," the droid said carefully, trying to not cause the overwrought and overtired woman in his midst any more distress. "But it may take time. When is your wedding?"

"Six weeks," Leia said to him. "And he's going to walk down the aisle and meet me at the altar."

She wished Luke was with her. Luke was on Yavin 4 at the Great Temple, attempting to find any records of the Jedi. She needed her brother and she needed him now. Or, she thought, maybe it's best he not see me this way.

She had received a comm from Carlist Rieekan that said he was en route from Drell to be with her and Han. That brought a small measure of comfort. No one had Han's back – and her's – more than Rieekan.

"Leia," a quiet voice spoke behind her.

Leia turned abruptly to locate the source of the sound, and she wondered if she was beginning to hallucinate.

"Luke?" she asked, so quietly that no one else would have been able to here. "You're here."

"The Force works in mysterious ways," Luke said. "How is he?"

"Slightly better, but his progress is slower than the med droids would like," Leia said to him. She stood up and Luke wrapped his arms around her. The tears began to flow. "What am I going to do if he..."

"I wish I had an answer for you, but I trust in the Force," Luke told her.

Leia could not have cared less about the Force at this point, except that it brought her brother to her.

When she composed herself, she looked straight into her brother's bright blue eyes. "I'm not giving up on him. I don't care what they say. He's going to be well, and he'll meet me at the altar."

"Would you like me to stay for a while, so that you can get some sleep?" Luke asked her quietly. There was no room for a second person to sit down, the cubicles were that small.

"I won't sleep till he's healed," Leia said stubbornly.

Luke was worried as much about her as he was Han. "I'll bring you some kaf."

"I'd appreciate that," Leia said softly, her voice raspy from exhaustion and crying. As Luke turned to leave, another set of footsteps came from behind.

"Princess," Carlist Rieekan said gently.

Leia was starting to become freaked. "Did you and Luke travel here together? How did you know?"

"First question, yes. Second question, Luke may have another source, but mine happened to be the Galactic News Channel One. It's the top story. You've both got many, many well-wishers, Leia. At the risk of repeating what everyone's told you, you really should get some rest." Rieekan understood that urging her to do so was an exercise in futility. He'd seen her when she took a leave to find Han.

"Oh gods, the media. Can we shoot them all?" Leia asked Rieekan.

That drew a laugh out of Rieekan. "I'd love it. I only wish I could."

Luke returned, carrying a tall kaf.

"Let us know if you change your mind," Luke said to her. He gave her a hug, as did Rieekan.

"We'll be here if you need us," Rieekan told her. "And let me say this: Han Solo would get well for spite if nothing else." That turned the corners of his mouth upward and even Leia laughed weakly.

"If he doesn't, I'm going to kill him," Leia said, half laughing and crying.


	3. Chapter 3

1

Chapter 3

Thirty-six hours.

Leia had counted them out carefully.

Han had continued to make only minimal progress. For the first time, she wondered if she was simply refusing to face facts. Han was already being treated with the strongest bacta available and forty-eight hours was the maximum the drug could be offered to a patient; at that point, the cure became worse than the disease.

Chewie, Luke and Carlist had come to check on her and bring food to her, which continued to go untouched. The med droids were now concerned about her health. Leia had gone without food and/or sleep in the past, but not like this. Carlist had tried the rational approach, reminding Leia that once Han was well, he would still need her strength for a while to come. Luke had tried the emotional one, saying that he was now as concerned for he as he was for Han. Chewie didn't even try to convince her of anything. He was totally depressed, convinced he might well lose his best friend forever. Leia couldn't respond to any of them.

Four-O-Five approached her, and when he spoke, Leia nearly shot out of her seat and on to the ceiling.

"Minister, you must rest," Four-O-Five said gently but firmly.

"I can do that when I'm dead," she remarked tersely.

Four-O-Five had previously discussed Han's condition with her, indicating that his chances of a full recovery dwindled with each passing hour. Leia's response had been to glare at him. The droid wondered what would happen to her if General Solo did not recover.

Leia closed her eyes for a moment, going back to the day she'd first met Han. She started fighting with him almost immediately. Han had said to Luke, either I'm gonna kill her or I'm starting to like her! Sharing a hug because the trash masher had failed to crush them.

The memory of Han leaving after collecting the reward and how angry she was at him for doing so. But apparently he'd had an attack of conscience, and he'd made it possible for Luke to fire the coup de gras that ended the first Death Star.

The awards ceremony, and the dance she and Han shared. Han's decision to stay with the Rebellion; he wouldn't accept a commission at that time, but he worked as hard as any ten soldiers.

They'd argued on Hoth the entire time. They'd cared for each other when sick. She'd been unable to reach her transport and ended up on the _Falcon_ which, despite the danger, had turned out to be a life changing experience for both her and Han.

The horror at Bespin, Han being put into carbon freeze and Luke nearly dying fighting Darth Vader, who, as it turned out, was the father of both her and Luke, although she hadn't been aware of it at the time.

The months spent on leave, searching the galaxy for Han. The joy of killing Jabba the Hutt – that made her smile. Han still complained that he'd never properly seen her in her slave outfit. Returning to the fleet to discover that Han had accepted a commission as a general. The Ewoks and their primitive ways, helping her and Han to make it possible for the Rebellion to emerge victorious. The dancing afterwards, the barbecue...

Han on one knee, holding out a ring and asking her to marry him and be with him forever...lying in the lush green of the forest floor, dreaming of their future together...

Their new apartment...kisses stolen at official functions...the white gown in the closet...

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Chewie, Luke and Rieekan were in the medcenter, checking on Han and Leia. None were happy to hear that Han was making poor progress. Only Luke remained calm.

Rieekan spoke first. "Luke, clearly you've got channels in other places. I know that you knew about what had happened. I'm just wondering if you're getting anything." Rieekan had known Jedi, and he clearly understood that they were not magicians, but he was willing to take any reassurance he could get. "Are you getting anything?"

Luke closed his eyes. "I'm not getting any indication that Han will die. But I'm not so clear on whether or not he'll recover completely."

"I'll take not dying," Rieekan said softly.

_The future is always in motion_, Luke thought back on the words Yoda had imparted to him.

Chewie warbled mournfully. If his cub didn't recover to the point where he could pilot, it was going to be very difficult. A part of Han would die if he couldn't.

"Right now, I'm worried about Leia," Rieekan said to the others. "I think we should check on her."

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The three went to check on Leia, and were somewhat relieved to find her sound asleep in the uncomfortable chair.

{Should I move}? Chewie asked.

"No, leave her where she is," Rieekan said quietly. "I don't want to risk waking her up."

Luke didn't speak. His eyes were closed, as if he had a vision.

Rieekan looked at the other two. They'd already spoken to Four-O-Five, and they knew things didn't look good. But Luke had simply nodded.

"We need to let her be," Rieekan urged gently, steering the other two from the bacta chamber.

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Forty-six hours.

Luke checked on Leia, who was sleeping restlessly in the uncomfortable chair.

Luke rejoined Chewie and Rieekan, who were in a quiet room with Four-O-Five.

"We need to discuss options at this point," Four-O-Five said solemnly. "We can't keep him in this strength of bacta for more than two hours."

"What happens if you don't take him out?" Luke asked nervously.

"He'll likely suffer liver or kidney damage, and possibly deafness. That is, if he survives."

"What about a lesser strength of bacta?" Rieekan asked, trying to remain stoic. He had a soft spot for the smuggler that had brought so much happiness to his good friend's daughter.

"It's not likely to change the outcome," Four-O-Five responded. "I really do need to include Minister Organa in the discussion."

"No. We'll talk to her," Rieekan said grimly. "But we'll only wake her if anything changes. Right now –"

A nursing droid burst through the doorway to the quiet room. "My apologies for interrupting," the feminine voice said with some excitement, "but General Solo is awake and his vitals are normalizing."

The three blinked and looked at each other, not sure they'd heard properly.

"What happens now?" Luke asked.

"We'll be removing him from the bacta tank and into ICU for observation."

"We should wake Leia up," Luke said, excitement in his voice.

"That won't be necessary," said a weary but smiling woman in the doorway.

"Leia, are you all right?" Rieekan asked her.

"I am now," she said.

"General Solo is likely to be very tired," the nursing droid warned, but the four were hugging each other and not paying much attention at that point.

"Why don't you come back a little later?" Leia suggested to the three. "I need some time alone with Han."

"No problem. Just comm us when you're ready," Luke said to her.

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"You can see him now," the nurse droid told Leia. "He's conscious but very tired, so you might want to keep the visit short."

"I'm staying with him," Leia announced.

The nurse droid would have rolled her eyes had she been able to do so. She'd dealt for the last two days with the recalcitrant woman. There was no point in attempting to get her away from her fiancé.

"She will be a formidable opponent if anyone crosses her," Four-O-Five muttered.

Leia stopped to look at the drowsing figure in the bed. Han smelled of bacta, and his hair was completely matted into a glued mess, laying flat in places and sticking up in others. His face was full of stubble, the bare patches of skin pale but without the ashen-grey cast that had been the case when he'd been admitted. The lips that she'd always found so surprisingly soft were dry and chapped, but she'd remedy that soon enough.

Leia took the hand without the intravenous line in her hand. She didn't want to wake him, but she needed to touch Han, to know he'd been brought back to her. His hand was cool to the touch. She sensors indicated that his vitals were near normal and stabilizing.

"Hey sweetheart," came a rasp from the bed.

Leia leaned over and kissed him. The taste of bacta couldn't destroy the love and joy both were experiencing. When they parted from the kiss, Han gave her his lovable lopsided smile.

"I hate bacta," Han muttered. "I'll be tasting it for months."

"How're you feeling otherwise?" Leia asked him, stroking his gelatinous hair.

"I missed you," Han said to her, very quietly. "It was weird...I had these vivid dreams, even more than the ones I had in carbonite...like the day I met you...the medals ceremony...the dance after the medals ceremonly...when we got sick on Hoth...when we provided entertainment for an entire base...when I was worried about you after I'd been turned into a table..."

Leia looked at him quizzically. "I was having those very same images."

"You were?" Han's eyes popped open.

"Yes," Leia said.

"It was like you were there the whole time," Han told her.

Before Leia could respond, they were graced with a visit from Chewie, Rieekan and Luke.

"You couldn't wait, could you?" Leia teased.

Chewie went over to Han and nearly suffocated him with a hug.

"Hey pal, I'm all right, but give me some oxygen here!" he told his gigantic and furry best friend.

"You're not dead!" Luke exclaimed, smiling.

"I'm sorry if that screwed up your plans," Han responded with a grin.

"Good to see you back among the living, Solo," Rieekan told him. He turned to Chewie and Luke. "Gentlemen, I think it's obvious that the general's going to survive, and we should move on out."

"Leia, you look really tired," Luke said.

Leia shot him the withering 'I've had it with you bastards' look, and Luke backed away slowly, holding his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"Luke, it should be obvious to you by now that your sister and your friend are the two most stubborn individuals in the galaxy," Rieekan warned him. Chewie laughed. "Solo? Make sure you're cleared before you report for duty again."

"Yes, sir," Han said, and the three exited, laughing and talking.

Han turned to Leia. The few minutes of visiting had left him more tired than he cared to admit to.

"Where were we?" He asked Leia.

"I think we were at carbon freeze," Leia told him, clasping his hand still.

"Then there was you rescuing me from carbon freeze, and going on the mission to Endor...and then the victory party...and going to the glen with you to ask you to marry me."

Leia's eyes were wide open. It seemed that while Han was incapacitated, they'd dreamed the same thing at the same time. She wondered if that was what had saved Han.

It confirmed for her that truly, they would heal each other's wounds.

"I think what I remember most was seeing you in a white dress." Han winked at her. "But not a dress I'd seen before."

Leia smiled. "I did tell you that you had to get well because I'd already bought the dress."

"So when do I get to see if it matches the one I dreamed about?"

"On our wedding day." She smiled at him tenderly. "Which is in five weeks."

"I make it so difficult sometimes, don't I?" Han asked her, exhaustion creeping into his voice, his eyelids fluttering.

"Yes, you really do." But she laughed and leaned over to kiss him.

As Han drifted off to sleep, she whispered, "I'll never let you go."


End file.
